The Western Balkan countries remain an area of interest to those with a stake in migration issues. Despite the region’s common recent history, the Western Balkans are very diverse as regards migration issues: some are plagued by poverty and high unemployment rates that generate large outflows of migrants, while others already attract immigrants to fill the labour shortages in certain booming sectors of their economy.

In September 2013, through the support of the IOM Development Fund, a seven-month needs assessment on the human trafficking situation in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina [BiH], UNSC resolution 1244-administered Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) was commissioned. The purpose was to collect and summarize stakeholder views of the mechanisms and resources available to combat TIP in the region.

Montenegro

European Union (EU) integration represents a priority for the Government of Montenegro. The EU granted Montenegro the official status of candidate country in 2010. Additionally, EU visa regime was altered, allowing Montenegrin citizens visa-free access to all 25 Schengen member states within the Union, as well as three states outside the European Union.